2 Kings 25:1-30
Q.1. What happened to King Zedekiah and his army? Why did Nebuchadnezzar inflict such severe judgment on Zedekiah? – (2 Kgs.25:1-7)
Zedekiah had rebelled against the king of Babylon and broken his promise (c.f. 2 Kgs.24:20 c.f. 2 Chr.36:13). Though the prophet Jeremiah had told him to submit to Babylon, he wilfully disobeyed the Lord (c.f. Jer.38:14-39:18). Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem for some eighteen months until the people were starving (2 Kgs.25:1-3). Zedekiah took Jeremiah and escaped via the tunnels underneath the city. He was chased down by the Babylonians and brought back to Nebuchadnezzar, who pronounced judgment against him and the princes at Riblah, some fifty kilometres away (2 Kgs.25:4-6). He slew Zedekiah’s sons right in front of him, put out his eyes, bound him, and took him to Babylon (2 Kgs.25:7).
Q.2. How great was the destruction of the Temple and palaces in Jerusalem? What happened to all the significant leaders of Jerusalem? – (2 Kgs.25:8-21)
Nebuzaradan, the captain of Babylon’s army utterly destroyed Jerusalem and burned the temple and the palaces. He plundered the city of all its remaining wealth and carried it back to Babylon (2 Kgs.25:8-17). All the key political and religious leaders were struck down – so Judah was led away into exile from the land (2 Kgs.25:21 c.f. 2 Kgs.25:18-21).
Q.3. What brought about even more devastation in Jerusalem? What happened to the captive King Jehoiachin? What did this say about the sovereignty of God? – (2 Kgs.25:22-30)
Gedaliah was appointed governor over the devastated city. He heeded the warning of Jeremiah to live at peace (2 Kgs.25:22-24). However, soon a number of rebels rose up and slew Gedaliah, along with the Babylonian peacekeepers. In fear, all the people escaped to Egypt (2 Kgs.25:25-26). In Babylon, after almost thirty years of living in chains, the ageing King Jehoiachin was released by the new king of Babylon. He was honoured with a regular income and was invited to share his meals with the king. Though this was hardly a reward from God, nevertheless, it showed that God sovereignly lifts up and brings down kings and their kingdoms (2 Kgs.25:27-30).